Digital Light & Color

There are some photos whose tint gradient I really like published digitally which can be downloaded as jpeg files. Can I use the color line tool to capture the same tint gradients for use on one of my photos? Do I need to convert mine to grayscale first? Has anyone been successful with this technique? Thanks!

bbodine9 wrote: Can I use the color line tool to capture the same tint gradients for use on one of my photos?

Yes. The color line tool allows you to assign any HSV or RGB values to any HSV-V of the color line gradient. All you need to do is to measure a set of HSV values (Usually 3-5 will suffice, but if the sample is just a simple monochrome gradient, only 2 might work.) Set control points at the appropriate V values of the color line; left-click on the control point; enter the HSV or RGB values. You can then save the color line for future use. Note that color lines are saved in simple text format -- you can edit them manually if you don't get it quite right the first time:)

bbodine9 wrote: Do I need to convert mine to grayscale first? Has anyone been successful with this technique? Thanks!

Only if you intend to apply the gradient at an amount less than 100%. There are sample color lines available for download (or maybe some included in your PWP package).

PWP's *.cln files are to be found in the "Color Line" folder typically located in c:\program files\digital light & color\picture window pro n.n\

You can create your own tints [*.cln files] from other posted internet monochrome images that attract you.

See http://www.dl-c.com/discus/messages/2/2 ... l#POST4537 .

Also do not hesitate to change the tint's control points or perform added saturation and/or contrast and/or noise to give your image the tonal impact you wish it to have.

Very often a tint that works well for one image will not do so for another.

PWP also has the feature to directly apply PhotoShop *.acv files [silver, palladium, platinum, selenium, gold, sepia, etc] in the ColorCurves transform...

'OPTions -- Load' lets you restore a previously saved set of color curves for application to the same or to a different image. You can import Picture Window curves (with the file extension .cc), Photoshop Curve files (with the file extension .acv) or Photoshop map files (with the file extension .amp), depending on the File Type you select.

Thanks Den...that really helps clarify it for me. Your examples / tutorials really help me understand the capabilities of PWP. Thanks again!

If there is further interest... ...sometime ago I uploaded some favored PhotoShop *.acv toning files for others to download here: http://www.ncplus.net/~birchbay/misc/ACV_files/ ...just download them and save to a folder...

An interesting technique is to combine two or more of the suggested toning curves. For example, Palladium and Platinum combined at a 2:1 ratio:
(1) Extract an image's Luminance channel and convert it to 48 or 24 bit color... (2) Click on the converted image; open the Color Curves transform, selecting Load from the OPTions [be sure to change 'Color Curve Files' to 'Photoshop Curve Files' at the bottom right of the 'Load Color Curves' dialog]; load and Apply the Palladium.acv file; load and OK the Platinum.acv file... (3) Click on the Palladium image version; open the Composite-Blend transform; and set Overlay to the Platinum image version. Leave the Input Amount at 100% and adjust the Overlay Amount to 33.3%. Click OK... (4) Make further adjustments if preferenced for brightness/contrast/saturation... ...maybe perhaps add some grain [HSV-V gaussian noise] for a 'vintage' ambiance.